Juku New York
A multi-level Japanese restaurant
Although a little hard to find amidst the quiet and unassuming area of Chinatown, Juku is well worth the struggle. There are multiple floors in this restaurant featuring different menu/meal options like izakaya (à la carte style) and omakase (a set multi-course menu with a fixed price). There is also a very cool and intimate hidden cocktail bar downstairs called Straylight, which is a great place for after dinner drinks.
When I dined at Juku for a friend's birthday, we chose the izakaya option. We were seated in the dimly lit narrow interior of the first floor, where we sat at long tables and determined what plates we were going to share. (The portions are fairly small and are meant for sharing.) I loved the uni rice we ordered as well as the live scallop and rice. The seafood was as fresh as the ones I had while in Japan. My favorite part about Juku is the vibe, and I would love to return to try the omakase.
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